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Hallenstein Glasson Holdings Limited (NZSE:HLG) stock is about to trade ex-dividend in four days. The ex-dividend date is one business day before the record date, which is the cut-off date for shareholders to be present on the company's books to be eligible for a dividend payment. The ex-dividend date is of consequence because whenever a stock is bought or sold, the trade takes at least two business day to settle. Accordingly, Hallenstein Glasson Holdings investors that purchase the stock on or after the 8th of December will not receive the dividend, which will be paid on the 16th of December.
The company's upcoming dividend is NZ$0.24 a share, following on from the last 12 months, when the company distributed a total of NZ$0.42 per share to shareholders. Calculating the last year's worth of payments shows that Hallenstein Glasson Holdings has a trailing yield of 7.5% on the current share price of NZ$5.62. Dividends are an important source of income to many shareholders, but the health of the business is crucial to maintaining those dividends. As a result, readers should always check whether Hallenstein Glasson Holdings has been able to grow its dividends, or if the dividend might be cut.
Check out our latest analysis for Hallenstein Glasson Holdings
Dividends are typically paid out of company income, so if a company pays out more than it earned, its dividend is usually at a higher risk of being cut. Hallenstein Glasson Holdings paid out 98% of its earnings, which is more than we're comfortable with, unless there are mitigating circumstances. That said, even highly profitable companies sometimes might not generate enough cash to pay the dividend, which is why we should always check if the dividend is covered by cash flow. Dividends consumed 57% of the company's free cash flow last year, which is within a normal range for most dividend-paying organisations.
It's good to see that while Hallenstein Glasson Holdings's dividends were not well covered by profits, at least they are affordable from a cash perspective. Still, if the company continues paying out such a high percentage of its profits, the dividend could be at risk if business turns sour.
Click here to see how much of its profit Hallenstein Glasson Holdings paid out over the last 12 months.
Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?
Stocks in companies that generate sustainable earnings growth often make the best dividend prospects, as it is easier to lift the dividend when earnings are rising. If business enters a downturn and the dividend is cut, the company could see its value fall precipitously. With that in mind, we're encouraged by the steady growth at Hallenstein Glasson Holdings, with earnings per share up 8.3% on average over the last five years.